Reusable gift wrapping system and method of use

ABSTRACT

A reusable wrapping system for wrapping an object having a coverable surface with a top surface and at least one side surface. The wrapping system includes a sheet of wrapping material sized to substantially cover the coverable surface and to at least partially overlap the side surface when placed thereon, and an elastic securing band of a size sufficient to elastically urge the sheet around and against the side surface of the object in order to removably secure the sheet substantially on the object. The wrapping system may also include a decorative item such as a bow affixed to the sheet of wrapping material and strategically located so as to enable a user to pull the sheet of wrapping material off of the object by grasping the decorative item and pulling the decorative item away from the object. The sheet may be a fabric of substantially rectangular shape.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/096,775, filed Sep. 13, 2008.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to gift wrap and a method of use of said gift wrap.

BACKGROUND ART

The typical procedure for wrapping a present is to cut a large sheet of paper, usually from a roll of gift wrap, and then place the item to be wrapped on top of the inside surface of the wrapping paper. Then, a series of intricate folds are required to wrap the item completely, and then adhesive tape is applied to keep the wrapping paper secure. A user may then want to tie ribbon around the wrapped package for extra decorative effect.

This process, while seemingly easy, often time results in a shoddy presentation for many reasons, such as miscutting of the wrapping paper, misplacing of the item inside the paper, sloppy folding techniques, and excessive or insufficient use of adhesive tape. Users may be in a hurry and/or have many gifts to wrap, thus resulting in an even shoddier job.

Often, when excessive tape is used, the recipient has problems when attempting to open the package. This is especially true when ribbon is used, and the recipient must find a pair of scissors to open the gift. This method can also be frustrating to younger children. The poor presentation as well as delays in opening a gift result in an anti-climactic effect once the gift is finally opened.

In addition, resources are wasted since the used paper and ribbons are usually discarded in the garbage. People often try to save the wrapping paper for a subsequent use, but this is often not possible due to it being ripped, excessive use of tape, etc. It has been reported in 2009, that in the United States an additional 5 million tons of waste is generated during the holidays. 4 million tons of this waste is wrapping paper and shopping bags.

The present invention addresses these and other problems of the prior art as set forth herein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is, in combination, an object to be decoratively wrapped and a wrapping system for wrapping the object, the object having a coverable surface with a top surface and at least one side surface adjoining the top surface. The wrapping system includes a sheet of wrapping material sized to substantially cover the coverable surface and to at least partially overlap the side surface when placed thereon, and an elastic securing band of a size sufficient to elastically urge the sheet around and against the side surface of the object in order to removably secure the sheet substantially on the object. The combination may also include a fastener for attaching the elastic securing band to the sheet of wrapping material. The combination may also include a decorative item affixed to the sheet of wrapping material and strategically located on the sheet of wrapping material so as to enable a user to pull the sheet of wrapping material off of the object by grasping the decorative item and pulling the decorative item away from the object. This one motion in effect also releases the elastic securing band. The sheet of wrapping material may be a fabric, and it may be of substantially rectangular shape (such as for example a square). The object to be decoratively wrapped may for example be a six-sided box having the top surface and four side surfaces, or it may for example be substantially a cylinder having the top surface and one contiguous side surface. In any case, the sheet of wrapping material may be large enough to extend past the entire side surface(s) so that the entire object is hidden from view by the sheet of wrapping material.

Also provided is a method of wrapping an object, the object having a coverable surface including a top surface and at least one side surface adjoining the top surface. The method includes placing a sheet of wrapping material over the top surface of the object, the sheet of wrapping material sized to substantially cover the coverable surface and to at least partially overlap the side surface when placed thereon. Then the sheet is removably secured substantially on the object with an elastic securing band of a size sufficient to elastically urge the sheet around and against the side surface of the object in order to secure it. The sheet of wrapping material may also have a decorative item affixed thereto and strategically located so as to enable a user to pull the sheet of wrapping material off of the object by grasping the decorative item and pulling the decorative item away from the object.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a combination of a box-shaped object to be decoratively wrapped and a wrapping system in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of a combination of a cylinder-shaped object to be decoratively wrapped and the wrapping system in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of the wrapping system being placed onto the object;

FIG. 4 is an illustration of the elastic band being pulled into place to secure the sheet on the object;

FIG. 5 illustrates the object wrapped in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a user beginning to unwrap the wrapped object in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with respect to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an illustration of a combination 2 of an object 14 to be decoratively wrapped and a wrapping system 4 in accordance with the invention. The object 14 has a coverable surface 17 that includes a top surface 16 and a side surface 18 adjoining the top surface 16 and forming a perimeter around the top surface 16. In this example, the object 14 is a typical six-sided gift box in which the side surface 18 includes a front side surface 18 a, a right side surface 18 b, a left side surface 18 c (not shown) and a rear side surface 18 d (not shown).

The wrapping system 4 includes a sheet 6 of wrapping material sized to substantially cover the coverable surface 17 and to at least partially (and preferably fully) overlap the side surface 18 when placed thereon. The wrapping system 4 also includes an elastic securing band 8 of a size sufficient to elastically urge the sheet 6 around and against the side surface 18 of the object 14 in order to removably secure the sheet 6 substantially on the object 14 as shown in FIG. 5. There also is shown in FIG. 1 a fastener 10 that attaches the elastic securing band 8 to the sheet 6, which may be a plastic loop fastener or the like. This conveniently holds the band 8 and the sheet 6 in combination, but may be removed if desired to adjust the positioning of the band 8 with respect to the sheet 6 during the wrapping phase.

The sheet 6 may also include a decorative item 12, such as a bow as shown, affixed to the sheet 6 and strategically located on the sheet 6 so as to enable a user to pull the sheet 6 off of the object 14 by grasping the decorative item 12 and pulling the decorative item away from the object as shown in FIG. 6. The elastic securing band may be decorative as well and function as a ribbon.

The sheet 6 of wrapping material may be a reusable material such as a decorative fabric. Although fabric is a preferred material, any material may be used, including paper, foils, cellophane and the like. Various colors, designs etc. may be made available as desired. The sheet 6 is preferably substantially rectangular in shape (and for example may be a square as shown in FIG. 1). It has been determined that the substantially rectangular shape provides the most flexibility in wrapping various shaped items. By rounding the corners 7 of the sheet as shown in FIG. 1, a visually pleasing result for the wrapped object is obtained as shown in FIG. 5.

In another example, FIG. 2 illustrates a cylinder 20, which has a top surface 24 and a single contiguous side surface 22 rather than multiple side surfaces as with the box shaped object 14. It has been determined that a square shaped sheet 6 is preferable for wrapping a cylindrical object.

The sheet 6 is preferably large enough to extend past the entire side surface(s) so that the entire object is hidden from view by the sheet of wrapping material after assembly. This is not a requirement, however, since an object with larger side surfaces may result in the bottom parts of the side surfaces being exposed past the reach of the sheet 6 after assembly. To wrap the object 14 with the wrapping system 4, the user will place the sheet of wrapping material 6 over the top surface 16 of the object 14 as shown in FIG. 3. The sheet 6 will then fall against the side surface 18. The user may fold the corners 7 of the sheet 6 as desired to obtain a pleasing effect as shown in FIG. 3. Then, the sheet 6 is removably secured substantially on the object 14 with the elastic securing band 8 of a size sufficient to elastically urge the sheet 6 around and against the side surface of the object as shown in FIG. 4. If it is desired, the user may remove the fastener 10 in order to locate the band 8 in the desired position. The wrapped object is shown in FIG. 5.

With reference to FIG. 6, the wrapped object then may be easily unwrapped by simply grasping the decorative item 12 (e.g. bow) and pulling the decorative item away from and off of the object 14 to reveal the object to the user. The wrapping system 4 may then be reused in the same manner as described herein. 

1. In combination, an object to be decoratively wrapped and a wrapping system for wrapping the object, the object having a coverable surface comprising a top surface and at least one side surface adjoining the top surface, said wrapping system comprising: a) a sheet of wrapping material sized to substantially cover the coverable surface and to at least partially overlap the side surface when placed thereon, and b) an elastic securing band of a size sufficient to elastically urge the sheet around and against the side surface of the object in order to secure the sheet substantially on the object.
 2. The combination of claim 1 further comprising a fastener for attaching the elastic securing band to the sheet of wrapping material.
 3. The combination of claim 1 further comprising a decorative item affixed to the sheet of wrapping material and strategically located on the sheet of wrapping material so as to enable a user to pull the sheet of wrapping material off of the object by grasping the decorative item and pulling the decorative item away from the object.
 4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the sheet of wrapping material is fabric.
 5. The combination of claim 1 wherein the sheet of wrapping material is substantially a rectangle
 6. The combination of claim 1 wherein the object to be decoratively wrapped is a six-sided box comprising the top surface and four side surfaces.
 7. The combination of claim 1 wherein the object to be decoratively wrapped is substantially a cylinder comprising the top surface and one contiguous side surface.
 8. The combination of claim 1 wherein the sheet of wrapping material is large enough to extend past the entire at least one side surface so that the entire object is hidden from view by the sheet of wrapping material.
 9. A wrapping system for wrapping an object to be decoratively wrapped, the object having a coverable surface comprising a top surface and at least one side surface adjoining the top surface, said wrapping system comprising: a) a sheet of wrapping material sized to substantially cover the coverable surface and to at least partially overlap the side surface when placed thereon, and b) an elastic securing band of a size sufficient to elastically urge the sheet around and against the side surface of the object in order to secure the sheet substantially on the object.
 10. The wrapping system of claim 9 further comprising a fastener for attaching the elastic securing band to the sheet of wrapping material.
 11. The wrapping system of claim 9 further comprising a decorative item affixed to the sheet of wrapping material and strategically located on the sheet of wrapping material so as to enable a user to pull the sheet of wrapping material off of the object by grasping the decorative item and pulling the decorative item away from the object.
 12. The wrapping system of claim 9 wherein the sheet of wrapping material is fabric.
 13. The wrapping system of claim 9 wherein the sheet of wrapping material is substantially a rectangle
 14. The wrapping system of claim 9 wherein the sheet of wrapping material is large enough to extend past the entire at least one side surface so that the entire object is hidden from view by the sheet of wrapping material.
 15. A method of wrapping an object, the object having a coverable surface comprising a top surface and at least one side surface adjoining the top surface, said method comprising: a) placing a sheet of wrapping material over the top surface of the object, said sheet of wrapping material sized to substantially cover the coverable surface and to at least partially overlap the side surface when placed thereon; and b) securing the sheet substantially on the object with an elastic securing band of a size sufficient to elastically urge the sheet around and against the side surface of the object in order to secure.
 16. The method of claim 15 wherein said sheet of wrapping material further comprises a fastener for attaching the elastic securing band to the sheet of wrapping material.
 17. The method of claim 15 wherein said sheet of wrapping material further comprises a decorative item affixed to the sheet of wrapping material and strategically located on the sheet of wrapping material so as to enable a user to pull the sheet of wrapping material off of the object by grasping the decorative item and pulling the decorative item away from the object.
 18. The method of claim 15 wherein the sheet of wrapping material is fabric.
 19. The method of claim 15 wherein the sheet of wrapping material is substantially a rectangle
 20. The method of claim 15 wherein the sheet of wrapping material is large enough to extend past the entire at least one side surface so that the entire object is hidden from view by the sheet of wrapping material. 